On the network processor front, the ATCA reference platform will be developed around the NP-2 processor. This processor is a full-duplex 10-Gbit device that handles both packet processing and traffic management tasks.

To interface to a switch fabric across the ATCA backplane, the reference board also includes Dune's FAP10V fabric interface device. This line card interface chip is a 10-Gbit device that provides traffic management capabilities. To support traffic management capabilities, the chip delivers 8K input queues, 16K output queues, and a scheduler supporting 64 channels. The interface chip also provides DDR channels for linking up with external memory, an optional ZBT SRAM interface, and serial interfaces for linking to a switch fabric device across a backplane.

Dune's FAP10V interface chip and EZchip's NP-2 processor will communicate with each other via a SPI-4.2 interface. The reference design will be available in the first quarter of 2005.